2021 ADVANCED LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING

DATES: OCT 4-15, 2021
    
         
VENUE: LIVE ONLINE COURSE    apply now button  
       
TUITION: $4200    
       

 

 

 

 

 

Overview

This course offers an intensive experience in drafting legislation. The course assists participants in mastering legislative provisions that pose special challenges to legislative drafters. Participants will draft all language necessary to develop and amend a simple bill as it would move through the legislative process and will also organize and draft a long, complex bill involving the reorganization of government bodies. Some prior experience in legislative drafting or legislation is helpful.

Format

The seminar will be delivered through 10 live online sessions via videoconferencing platform. Each session will last approximately 3.5 hours and will start at a time to be announced closer to the seminar, but the starting time will be within a time window of 7:00 am – 8:30 am Washington DC time (Eastern Standard Time). We expect the classes to be highly interactive and will include presentations, case studies and exercises.

 

Course Outline

  

Drafting a Simple Bill

  • Learning to convert a legislative proposal into a bill for introduction in a legislative chamber

Drafting Amendments to a Bill and to Law

  • "Floor" (whole House) amendments
  • Amendments to existing law

 

Instruction on Specialized Legislative Processes

  • Budget and appropriations rules and problems
  • Administrative Law

 

Drafting a Government Grant Program

  • Instruction in selection and drafting of legislative language authorizing grants

 

Drafting Government Reorganization

  • Establishing a Government Agency
  • Abolishing a Government Agency
  • Consolidating Government Agencies
  • Savings ("grandfather") clauses
  • Transition provisions
  • Repeals

 

Drafting a Complex Bill

  • Organization of Legislative Provisions
  • Close Supervision and Review of Drafting Work

 

Course Coordinator – Jeff Ziarnik has coordinated over 20 high level ILI legislative drafting seminars over the last decade and in addition more than 100 other seminars, including legislative seminars not focused specifically on drafting. He has a J.D. from the Western Michigan University Cooley School of Law and has a Bachelor of Science in History and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Prior to law school, Jeff was a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in The Gambia.

Traditional Faculty for this seminar include:

Arthur J. Rynearson, former Deputy Legislative Counsel of the United States Senate
Anthony C. Coe, former Senior Counsel, United States Senate Office of the Legislative Counsel
Polly Craighill, former Senior Counsel, United States Senate Office of the Legislative Counsel